Cutter



Jan. 18, 1927.

w. s. JONES CUTTER Filed May 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEYS rie w MMW|W Jann 18, W. s'

CUTTER Filed May 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VEN 0RJ one ATTORNEYS. f

,1 lllllllll! Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STA'II'ESy 1,614,840 PATENT oFFi-cE.

WINFIELD S. JONES, F-,BBEA, CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOR, BY `:DIRECT AND HESNE AS- SIGNHENTS, Ol' ONE-EIGHTH TO HAROLD U. BAKER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALI- FOBNIA; THREE-BIXTEENTHS TO ELMORE D. JONES, OF TAFT, CALHOBNIK; AND ONE-FOURTH TO L. T. HCCUTCHEON AND ONE-FOURTH T0 F. McIAHON, BOTH OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CUTTER.

Application led Kay 15, 1923. Serial No. 689,091.

This invention relates to cutters, and particularly to what may be termed a pipe cutter for use in cutting-any form of pipe such as drill stems for use in. wells. .The invention has for an object the lprovision of a deviceof this character which will sever pipe upon downward feeding of the device.

A further object is the provision of a device wliich is readily removable, when it is,

usedfor cutting pipewithin a Well hole without in any mannei' breaking the cutters.

Assuming oil well practice as an example of the use of the present device, this device -has the advantage of readily being removable from the well hole in case of any impairnient of the device or due to collapse within the well hole because of shifting for.- mations or freezing of the pipe, or in the case of rotary well apparatus a shortage of '20, mud resultant upon breaking down of the pumps or hose, or any of the numerous devices lfor maintaining circulation of mud iny the well hole. Numerous cutters are now on the market that work on what may be termed an upward motion, with the result.

that any impairment in the well hole such as freezing or lack of circulation of mud will cause a loss of the cutter, or if an attempt be made o withdraw the cutter from the hole, -of tearing all projections loose withinA the well hole, thereby ruining the cutters and `rlikewiselggcausing other damage. Furthermore, .a cutter that is not readily rei moved from the well hole may cause a loss of the well hole by`the necessity of leaving the cutter and the pipe within said hole. The invention has for further objects the provision of a cutter which is novel in construction. fool-proof in vits operation and 4. which will not readily get out of order.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in tlie provision, formation, construction. association and relafeatures, all as shown in one embodiment in the accompanying drawings` described geuerally and finally pointed out iu claims."

In the drawings: l lFigure 1 is an elevation, partly iiijsection, of the improved cutter shown in position upon a drill stem; 'Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the device vthe drill stem tive arrangement of parts. members andI h carrying a latch mem r shown in Figure 1, and showing the cutter in cutting operation upon the drill stem;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view -on an enlarged scale of a trip element associated with the cutter;

Figure 4 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, of certain features of the device, said view being taken on the line '4 4 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows; 1

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, certain parts bein in section and on van enlarged scale, of t e cutter in operation upon the drill stem;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of features of the device taken on the line 6 6. of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows; and

Figure 7 isa transverse sectional view of other features of the device, taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the appended arrows.v

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawings, the improved cutter is designated as an 'entirety and in one embodiment by A, and a drill .stem pipe upon which the cutter is adapted to operate is designated by B. It is to be understood, however, thatthe device A is adaptable for cutting pipe other than drill stem pipe. The cutter A includes several elements adapted to be,associated together and to cooperate in the performance of the cutting operation upon pipe such as ipe B, andat a desired zone upon said drillpstem pipe B.- Saidelements comprising the device A, without reference to their relation, consist in acutter shell a, a cutter blade or series of cutter blades b associated with the shell a, a driving sleeve c for operating at desired points or times the cutter" or cutters b, a stool'cage d for confining stool or stool members e, a frictional 'tubing engaging sleeve f car ing the spring friction members and a latc barrel It w 11 be notedy that the'cutte shell'a varies in cross section, depending upon its location, the cross section being largest at ,its top, asshown at 1 and formed with'a tapered screw-threaded annular socket," as

be screw-tbreaded Within said tapered socket 2, and the lowermost end as 4, of the shell a, is screw-threaded for engagement with a i with the end of the friction carrier fr vals screw-threaded portion 5 of the latch barrel h, the vlatch barrel in turn being formed at its -lowermost end with va tapered screw-y threaded socket l6. The latch barrel L is further provided with screw threads as shown at 7 for receiving a screw-threaded portion 8 of the friction carrier sleeve f .thereby to temporarily connect the same with said latch barrel h. In this connection it is tobe observed that the latch barrel h is screw-threaded externally land internally at the portions 4 and 7 respectively, and that: the sleeve f is formed with a shouldered portion, as 9, for engagement furthermore, the friction carrier sleeve is enlarged at the part 1() and rthen reduced as to internal diameter, as shown at 11, with an upper zone thereof, as shown at 12, enlarged, then reduced as shown at 13 so as to form a shoulder 14 between the parts 12 sirous that the cutters should not be suband 13. It is to be observed that the forma.- tion and association of the cutter shell a, the friction carrier sleeve f and the latch barrel h is such as to present a vflushouter surface, with the periphery of the sleeve f inv close working engagement with the innerA surface of the cutter shell a. The sleeve f has associated therewith and at the part 15 a bent spring or springs or friction member or members f7 which are attached by means of rivets 16 `to the carrier sleeve f, and rcceivable within a slotted portion 17 in the enlargement 12 ot said sleeve f. It is in.

tended that this springr or series of springs f7 should bear against the periphery of the pipe to be cut, such as the drill stem B. The reduced portion 130i the sleeve f is adapted to be received in a space formed by the cutter shell a and the stool cage d, as shown at 18. The stool cage d is formed withan enlargement 19, the periphery of which is in close engagement with the inner surface of the cutter shell a, as shown at 20, and then formed with a portion 21 spaced from the inner surface of the member a s0 as to accommodate the part 13 of the lsleeve f. as has been stated: in other words, within the space 18. This formation and construction permits guiding of the. member f in certain of its movements when the tool is in operation. which operation will be described in detail later. Immediatelv above the member d is the member c which is formed with 'a flange member 22, thel periphery of which ber a. and on the interior thereof and adapted to bear against the periphery of the part 23 of the member c are stops 26 which act as an abutment for confining the end 2,7 .of the expansible member 25. slotted at a plurality of points, as 28, and the cutter elements b are receivable within said slots and held to the member a by means of pins 29. The cutters b are curved at the point 30 and a zone near the extremity of the member c is tapered, as shown-at 31 so as to readily engage the part 30, and upon upward movement of the member c `forces the cutters inwardly (swinging on the pins 29) as shown in Figure 2 to perform a cutting operationupon the Work B. Likewise carried by the member a` -is a key c receivable within a groove 32 in the member c, it being noted that the head portion, as 33 Aof said member is enlarged for the pur ose of receiving said key and likewise for t e purpose of 'affording `sufficient area for operating the cutter b.

In the operation of the cutters it is dcwhen the device is being operated, as willY more clearly appear later.k The' members c and al at the enlarged port-ions 22 and 19 respectively, are each one formed with a .ball-bearing race shown as 34 and 35 within which races are adapted to be confined bearing members 36, and an annulus m formed with flanges 37 and 38 is adapted to join the members c and d by the flanged portions 37 and 38 entering grooves 39 and 40 respectively in the enlargements 22 and 19. The annnlus m is not in tight engagement with the members c and d, but is suicient to permit a relative rotation. when necessary, as

between the said members.v The stools or stop elements e are normally held in position of service by a spring 41 confined within an annular groove 42 in the part 19 of the member d, said springs being likewise receivable in cut-away portions 43 of the stools e. Said stools e are formed with enlarged heads 44 having lioined therewith leg portions 45. and said heads are. .formed with tapered or inclined ends 46 wherebv when the device as an entirety is inoperative. the spring mem` ber 41 by forcing the stools a outwardly so as to he against the inner surface ol the member n.. will cause the inclined ends to engage the end portion of the membernd shown at 47.' Tn this connection it is to be noted that the stool cage rl is formed with a .series of slots 48 within which the stools e. are confined and the'end portion 47 is in reality one ofthe walls bounding one portion of one of the slots 48.

The latches 1 are ,receivable within slotted portions 49 of the latch barrel h, and'sa1d The shell "a is ,and having one end, as 53, engaging`the latchesjare held in osition by mea-ns f will cause the expansible .nember 25 to be pins-50 passed theret rou h and into the compressed as shown in Figure 2 by the wall of the member h, said7 latches j being members 26 bearing upon the end 27 of said formed with a shouldered portion 51, with member 25, which in turn will permit cona coil spring 52 wrapped about the pin 50 tinued movement of the parts to a position where the stool or stools e will have their .legs in engagement with the ledge 66 of the coupling 61; this being effected by the member f moving relative to the shell a and' forcing the stool e so that the leg members thereof engage with the ledge of the counotches 55 when the latch or latches j are pling 61. Furthermore, this downward moved in one direction under actuation of movement of the shell a relative to the memthe spring member 52 to normally lock the ber f likewise effects a relative movement as member f and member h together. The latch between the members c and a, inasmuch as is formed with a shouldered end as shown at the members c and d are coupled by annular 57 and the normal position for saidlatcll means m, the member f bein received in or latches is that shown in Fi ure 3, the the space 18 between the mem vrs d and a. latches being held in -such osition; that is The upper end of the member c being tal-pered to say, inwardly from the s ot 49 by means as shown at 31 will force the cutters into of a small wire or other medium 58 passed engagement with the periphery of the stem through an opening in the said latch or B and cut the same substantially as shown latches. vThe latch-when in the position in the drawings at 67. as-

shoulder 51 and the other end 54 enga in with a wall bounding the slot 49. gai latches are formed with notched portions 55, and limiting pins 56 are carried 4by the member l1., said pins 56 being received in such tainingthe members f and h in wor shown in Figure?) is adapted to be received in a kee er notch or slotted portion 59 of the mem er f and thus prevent the member f from becoming disconnected from the member h. v A

' The operation, uses and advantages of the device just-described are as follows:

. Assume the partslin the osition shown in Figure 1 in which it will noted that the cutter elements b are out -of contact with the periphery of the drill stem B. The latch'j is in position of service; lthat is to sa mainliing relation und in such avrelation that the same do not unscrew. The member A has been lowered by means of the drive tubing 3 and the lowerend of said member A may carry a wash-over shoe, screw-threaded to the threaded portion 6, said wash-over shoe n ot being shown. The stool e is out of position of service and the Aspring membery g is 1n engagement with the riphery ofthe drill steni B. When the late i j contacts with the ledge of a coupling 61 joining two ,shown in Figure 2 at 64. It ma Jthe in 58 will be sheared lengths of the drill stem B', as 62 and 63, and the latch mem ry retracted within the slot 49 ofthe member hand substantially in the position be necessary to revolve the member A tirou h the medium of the tubing 3 in order that 1t may reach a desired location within a well hole and a further turning of the member 3 will,

'. when the latch j operative position, to unscrew `the member f' from the member h, leave the has n moved out of t i parts in the positionsubstantially as shown 1n Figure 2 at 65. IMovement downwardly ofthe mem-v ber f will -be constrained byethefspring g `being in frictional engagement with the periphery of the drill stem B, fand the cutter shell a upon its continuance downwardly shell, as

These cutters may sume various forms and shapestthat in the drawings'showing a cutter provided with a cutting head 68 adapted to form a beveled cut, as shown at 69 in the stem B. The member c rotates as'the member -a rotates, due to the fact thatv the members c and a are keyed as shown in Figure 7. r The member d does not of necessity rotate, as there are bearing members 36.` between said members. If the device A is in use in a rotary rig and mud is circulating, it may bei-desired to relieve anyr pressure that may exist between the member a and the drill stem B and the outer surface of the member a. This is accomplished by providing perforated openings or vent openings 70 passed through the member f. These vent openings 70.1.ikew1se accommodate for forcing water or air from within the device A. When it is desired to los remove the cutter A it is only necessary to" pull upwardly upon the same, whereupon the spring g will still grip the periphery of the stem B and cause relative movement of the parts so that the cutters b may swing back into their slots 28 in the shell a and the member 25 will then ex and; the stools will be forced within the s ots in the stool cage d and the device as an entirety lifted from the well hole without in any manner breaking the cuttersy I; or damaging other parts of the device A. The pins 29 of the cutteis b are conveniently held to the shell a by being within segmental bores 71 in said shown in Figure 6 and wherein it vwill be noted that the edge as 72 of each cutter .is in advance of the following edge so as to readily cut the drill stem B.

This down-acting cutter readily prevents impairment ofy thecutters b and is a distinguishing feature over devices of a similar nature known to the inventor, in that cutterscneed not be broken ifv the cutting ac- IIU tion isnot completed, a fact which cannot be accomplished 'by cutters now on the markety that work only on up -motion of the drive member, for the reason that the cutters must complete their cutting operation before the cutter as an entirety can beA removed from hole. Furthermore, this style of cutter tends to raise the cutter tools from the work upon rotation of the driving pipe 3', `instead of causing the cutter blades to dig in and possibly break. Repairs may be easily made by simply withdrawing the device A and replacing the broken part, whereupon the cutting operation may be continued.

The parts inthe showing are tubular, although it is obvious that shapes other than round may be employed in1 various parts .of the device A. It is a known fact that any blade that works on an up motion in the cutting of pipe must move upwardly to effect the cutting operation, and therefore attempts to lift the pipe being cut in an upward direction oftentimes locking the cutter and brcfking the blades, whereas in the device .just described, the cutter releases the blades when the pipe moves upwardly and Ithus eliminates the danger of locking..v

One of the distinctive features of the in' c are thrown into operative position bythe relatively ioating abutment or sleeve f, the entire cutter actuating unit comprising the vupper section or driving unit c and the lower section or stool cage d are moved against the tension ofthe spring 25 to yield` ingly throw the cutters I), pivotally suspended from the shell a, into engagement with the tubing. v

It is obvious that :various l.changes and variations may be made in practicm the invention, in departure from the particular description as g1ven,'fbut that sadgchanges and variations maybe made within a fair interpretation of the inventionas set forth by the scope of the appended claims.

- Having thusk disclosed my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by. Letters Patent: vv1. A cutter for oil well tubing and the like, including a cutter shell carrying inter- -nal suspended cutters, an abutment member havlng a temporary connection with theV shell, a separate cutter actuating `member ,'rrying stop elements .for engaging with the .alicell tubing, said actuatlng member being operatively related to the abutment member and the suspendedcutters, and adapted to move the cutters into operating position upon the release of the temporary connection for the said abutment member and the arrest of the latter.

2. A cutter" for oil well tubing and the like, comprising a cutter shell carrying internal pivotally suspended cutters, a cutter actuating unit slidably keyed within the eutter shell, tubing engaging means carried by said actuating unit, means within the cutter shell for throwing said tubing engaging means into engagement with the tubing, said means including a sleeve the upper end of which is'adapted to engage with the tubing engaging means and the lower end of which is provided with a keeper notch, a latch carried by the cutter shell and adapted to normally maintain the sleeve locked to the cutter shell until engaged by a art of the tubing whereby the sleeve is reed from the shell, and springs carried by the sleeve for engaging with the tubing thereby to hold the same relatively stationary with refer ence to the tubing.

3. A cutter for oilv well tubing andthe like, comprisino' a-cutter shell, a sleeve releasably locked to the shell and having springs rfor frictionally engaging the tubing, internal pivoted suspendedv cutters carried by the shell, and a cutter actuating device resiliently and slidably mounted in the shell between the cutters and the sleeve and keyed to the shell to rotate. therewith, tubing engagingelements carried by said device adapted to be operated. by the said sleeve to engage the tubing whereby -the cutter actuating device .wlll be held `relatively stationary on the tubing while the cutter shell descends to cause the ,cutters toA move inwardly and cut the tubin LA cutterfor oil wel tubing and the like, comprising a' cutter shell, a tubing engaging sleeve having a releasable connection with the cutterf'shell, cutters pivotally suspended in the shell, a cutter actuating unit mounted between the cutters andthe sleeve and slidably keyed to the cutter shell, and normally inoperative tubing engaging means carried by the cutter actuatingv unit and operatedl by said sleeve. '3 A cutter for oil well tubing and the like. comprising a cutter: shell, a tubing enf gaging 1sleeve having a releasalblel connection ,with the cutter shell, cutters pivotally suspended in the shell, a 'cutteractuating unit including, an upper .cutter-engaging section' slidably keyed to yandffresiliently mounted within the shell and a lower section having a rotary' jointconnection with the upper section, and tubing engaging means carried by the lower section' and actuated bythe sleeve. l

A.6. A cutter forvl oil well tubing andthe lll llt

with, a stool cage connected with the driving sleeve whereby it may remain stationary with reference to said sleeve, tube-cou lingengaging stool members carried by sai stool cage, and the lower end of said stool cage and the up er end of the friction carrier being adapte for relative telesco ic movement whereby the friction carrier w en unlocked lfrom the cage will actuate the stool mem- 7.- A cutter for oil well tubing, and the like, comprising a tubular cutter shell, cutters pivotally carried by the shell member,

a member having-means for 4frictionfally en-` gaging the pipe to be cut, means for normally locking said member with the cutter shell and releasing it to permit it to clutch the ipe while the cutter shell may move longltudinally with reference thereto a cutter contolling member slidably keyed to the cutter shell, resilient means for cushioning said cutter actuating member in its sliding movement with reference to the shell, and means associated with said cutter actuating member and adapted to be o rated by the friction member to cause said cutter actuating member tc move the cutters into cutting relation to the pipe.

8. A cutter for oil well tubing and the like having enlarged coupling portions, comprising a tubular cutter shell adapted to telescopically fit over the tubin cutters pivotally carried by the cutter she a member comprising two relatively rotatably connected sections, one of which sections is slidably keyed to the cutter shell and is adapted to move the cutters inwardly toward the tubing to be cut, a spring for maintaining said memberin normally inoperative relation with reference to said cutters, tubing coupling-engaging means carried by the lower, section of said member, and tubing engaging means releasably locked i to the shell.

9.- A cutter for oil well tubing and the like having enlarged coupling portions, comprlsing a tubular cutter shell adapted to telescopically fit over the tubing, cutters pivot-v ally carried by the cutter shell, a member comprising two relatively rotatably connected sections, one of which sections` is slidably keyed to the cutter shell and is ward the tubing to be cut, a spring taining said member in normally moperatlve relation with. reference to said' cutters, tubing coupling en aging means carried by the name.

WINFIELD S. JONES.

whereof, I have signed'my adapted to move the cutters inwardly toi 4 for ma1n 

